Reading FC 0, Sheffield Wednesday 2: Ten man Royals downed by Owls

Alex Pearce leaves the field after being sent off after just 10 minutes against Sheffield Wednesday.

Share

Alex Pearce was sent off after just 10 minutes as Reading crashed to a 2-0 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday this afternoon.

Royals' centre-back hauled down Ben Afobe in the box and was immediately shown the red card by referee Keith Hill.

Chris Maguire slotted home the resulting penalty and the visitors never looked back as they completed the league double over Nigel Adkins' side.

The hosts showed plenty of fight despite being a man down for 80 minutes but never really troubled Wednesday who have not lost since December 21st.

Former Royal Afobe wrapped things up with a second goal early in the second half and in truth the visitors should have gone on to score more but were denied by a combination of Alex McCarthy and poor finishing.

Ahead of the game Adkins had one big selection dilemma due to the return to fitness of Danny Guthrie after a month out with a calf injury.

In his absence Hope Akpan and Danny Williams have struck a good partnership, helping Royals to four wins in five games.

So Adkins had to decide whether to stick with a winning team or make his first change in six games and restore Guthrie to the side.

He opted to stay loyal with Akpan and Williams as Guthrie had to settle for a place on the bench. There was no room in the squad at all for Royston Drenthe.

With two hat-tricks in his last two Madejski Stadium appearances, Adam Le Fondre was bidding to become the first Reading player ever to net three successive home trebles.

And he had a great chance to get off the mark within three minutes when the visitors' defence misjudged a long Jordan Obita free-kick.

But he couldn't take advantage and was denied by Chris Kirkland as he tried to go round the former England keeper.

Chris Kirkland denies Adam Le Fondre within the opening five minutes.

Pavel Pogrebnyak then went even closer as he bundled himself clear. The big Russian frontman managed to squeeze the ball past Kirkland but Miguel Llera got back to clear off the line.

Wednesday, who were fortunate to still be level, then seized control of the game on the 10 minute mark.

Afobe seized on a mistake from Pearce and raced into the box before being hauled down by Royals' centre-back.

Referee Hill had no option but to point to the spot and brandish the inevitable red card, despite the Reading protests.

Maguire then sent McCarthy the wrong way from 12 yards, giving the visitors the lead.

Reading responded well to the set back with Akpan sending in one wicked cross which was cleared at the back post just before Pogrebnyak could nod it home.

Jobi McAnuff then fired a shot just wide from the edge of the box before Pogrebnayk went close with a long range effort.

Wednesday always looked a threat on the break, however, and would have doubled their lead through Keiran Lee had it not been for a superb block from Gunter, now playing at centre-back alongside Kaspars Gorkss.

And in five minutes of first half stoppage time, they had two golden chances to add a second.

The first saw Afobe rattle an effort off the top of the bar after a mistake by Gorkss and the second fell to Lee but he shot straight at McCarthy having been gifted possession by Obita.

Wednesday introduced former Royal Michail Antonio at the break and he should have made an immediate impact but was denied by McCarthy.

Maguire then blazed another opportunity over the bar from the resulting corner as the visitors flew out of the blocks.

Jordan Obita reacts angrily after a scuffle with Jacques Marguire.

And they were rewarded for their bright start to the half when Afobe seized on a mistake by McCarthy to make it 2-0.

Maguire, who had just been down receiving treatment, raced into the box and got a shot away but it shouldn't really have troubled Royals' keeper.

McCarthy fumbled it, however, and Afobe reacted quickest to turn home the loose ball.

Things could have got even better for the visitors moments later but McCarthy atoned for his mistake, superbly tipping Jeremy Helan's powerful shot onto the post.

Wednesday were now totally in control, comfortably dealing with the threat of Le Fondre and Pogrebnyak while always looking likely to add to their lead themselves.

Despite being a man down, however, Reading never gave up and looked to find a way back into the game.

Guthrie, Nick Blackman and Hal Robson-Kanu were all introduced by Adkins but the changes did little to affect things.

In fact it was a Sheffield Wednesday substitute who should had the biggest impact but Atdhe Nuhiu pulled a great chance across goal with 10 minutes remaining.

He was then denied by McCarthy in injury time as the visitors comfortably closed the game out.